League 2
Another very hard league to get out of and sometimes an even harder one to stay in.
It’s all blood and guts and spit and sawdust at this level and I love it!!
Top 3
Luton Town
Last season was Luton’s first season back in the League since the 2009/10 season, the Hatters where hotly tipped in some quarters for successive promotions. It wasn’t to be for John Still’s men as the only managed to finish 8th only 3 points of a play off place. It would have been a big achievement for Luton but I am sure on reflection it was good season back in the football league. This year Luton will be tipped for success again. New signings Danny Green and Craig Mackail-Smith have the ability to win matches single handedly. I Expect The Hatters to be promoted this season as it looks like a lot of money has been spent on the team.
Portsmouth
Pompey are another team that have money and in this league it really helps your chances if you are financially well off. Portsmouth are a massive club with a massive following but over the last few seasons they have fell very short of the expectations that are placed on them. Their final position of 16th was nowhere near good enough for a team of this stature, I am sure with the players they have the Fratton Park fans will be expecting a title challenge this time around.
Leyton Orient
A couple of seasons ago Orient just narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier league, nearly 18 months on and they are preparing for life in the fourth tier of English football. It just goes to show you how quickly it can all turn around. I have gone for the O’s because I just think their experience will be enough to dig out results at this level. I hope they don’t hit form to early though as my team Dagenham and Redbridge play them at home second game of the season. Surely a quick return is in the offing for Ian Hendon’s men as they certainly look too good for this League.
Play Offs
Oxford United
Oxford fell short last season only finishing 13th, I and many others expected them to do well and at least finish in the play off area. They started very slowly last year and I am sure Michael Appleton will be addressing that this campaign. Midfielder Liam Sercombe, Striker’s Ryan Taylor, Kemar Roofe and Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe have all been added to the Kassam Stadium playing staff before the start of the new season.
Exeter City
The Devon club are another team who really should be at a higher level, another team who can play football, one of the best teams I saw last season. Paul Tisdale likes his teams to play football the right way and maybe that is why they don’t win as many games as they probably should. Having said that Burton managed to gain promotion playing nice stuff, maybe the Grecians will do the same this year. On their day can beat anybody in this league but I am sure their fans would take a play off place and a chance to play at Wembley come the end of May.
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth got to the play-offs last season losing out to Wycombe at the semi final stage. Reuben Reid had a good season scoring 18 league goals and he will need to step up again to get Plymouth up the table. The departure of Lewis Alessandra to Rochdale may be a big loss, as I thought he was their big danger man last season. May need a few more brought in if they are to go one better than last year.
Notts County
I have gone for Notts County because again they are pretty much a League 1 team. They have big names in their squad and have bought players in from Premier league teams already this Summer. League 2 is a leveller though and sometimes the team that have lost their last ten can beat the team at the top of the league, but surely a Notts County side who can boast the likes of Roy Carroll, Jon Stead and Alan Smith shouldn’t be content with just a play off place, surely they should be going for the title. We shall see.
I expect Stevenage under Teddy Sherringham to get close, also I can see AFC Wimbledon and Yeovil put up a fight for promotion as well.
As for my own team Dagenham and Redbridge, I think we will surprise a few people as yet again due to finance we are second favourites to go down but I would take a mid to Top half finish and who knows maybe a cheeky run at the play-offs.
Relegation
Mansfield
Mansfield finished last season just two places above the drop zone with a goal difference of -24 something that will need to be addressed if they are to have any chance of survival this season. Mansfield were one of the poorest teams I saw at Victoria road last season. There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of transfer activity going at Field Mill so far this season. Could be a long season for The Stags.
Morecambe
I picked Morecambe to go down last season and they had a fine start to the season making my beloved Daggers look stupid with a 0-3 defeat on the first day of the season. Jim Bentley’s Shrimps finished 11th last term and were never in trouble at any point. The catalyst for their good season was no doubt Kevin Ellison, at the start of the season the veteran midfielder just couldn’t stop scoring. There have been a few departures but also a few additions. Jack Redshaw will be a loss for Morecambe as will Padraig Almond who I always thought was a decent striker. A Kevin Ellison inspired Morecambe may have enough to stay up and the likes of York, Accrington, Cambridge and Carlisle may have a bit less.
I think the two promoted sides Bristol Rovers and Barnet will have more than enough to stay up.
Conference
Once you go down to the Conference it is very hard to get out again. Some massive teams have dropped down through the years and it has taken them a long time to get back, some have never come back.
Title Contenders
Grimsby Town
The Mariners got to the play-off final last season falling at the final hurdle to Bristol Rovers. Another former league club and former club of Daggers boss Wayne Burnett.
Torquay United
Again a bit of yoyo club, didn’t have the best of seasons last year finishing 13th. The Gulls have just brought in two young Bournemouth players Joe Quigley and Josh Carmichael on loan. Striker Karl Hawley is a decent finisher and could maybe push the Plainmoor team up the table.
Cheltenham Town
Out of the two teams that came down I would say that the Robins have got the best chance of coming back up. Didn’t think they were too bad a team last season and thought they might of escaped the drop. Only time will tell if they have enough about them to bounce back.
Gateshead
A poor season saw them only finish 10th last time. New owners at the club could mean more financial backing and better players.
Dark Horses
Boreham Wood
Financial backing for the new boys could see them surprise a few people this year. Former Dagenham and Redbridge vice Captain Scott Doe is a fantastic signing for the club, he should be playing League 1 football. There won’t be a better or faster defender in the Conference this season.
Forest Green Rovers
Always there or thereabouts and same again this year. The play-off semi finalists will be looking to go a step further this time.
Eastleigh
Another team that made the play-offs only to go out to Grimsby, will this season see an improvement on what was a very good effort last term.
Woking
It would be great to see Woking come up to the Football League under the guidance of Garry Hill. Last year saw them just a point and 1 goal off the play-off places. Can they push on that little bit more this season.
Relegation
New boys Guisley may find it hard and after pretty poor seasons I think Altrincham, Southport and Welling could see them struggle as well.
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